Patchwork: The Return of the Liberty BellBy Fonda Bock, USAREC The red, white and blue Army Recruiting Liberty Bell patch is back where it belongs, on the left sleeve of U.S. Army Recruiting Command’s military personnel. The insignia officially returned Feb. 26 during a ceremony wrapping up the Annual Leaders Training Conference. As USAREC Command Sgt. Maj. Willie Clemmons ripped the Army Star off the sleeves of commanders, command sergeants major and other leaders, Commanding General Maj. Gen. Allen Batschelet replaced it with the Liberty Bell patch. There was a good reason why the command exercised an exception to policy in 2006 and replaced the Liberty Bell with the Army Star. But believing now there's good reason for recruiters uniforms to reflect the elite nature of Recruiting Command's mission, Batschelet decided to reinstate the authorized sleeve insignia. Wearing the Liberty Bell also helps establish and bring back the pride of the organization, said Clemmons. “We wanted to make sure that as an organization, we have our own identity, and the recruiting bell is absolutely identifiable to the pride of this command,” said Clemmons. “Typically when people see the Army Star they associate it with someone on the staff at the Pentagon or in the D.C. area, not with USAREC. When you see the recruiting bell, you automatically associate it with recruiting. It’s a symbol of what we do, which is building the Army. There wouldn’t even be a big Army without recruiting command.” Sergeant 1st Class Fritz Chatelier, who came to recruiting in 2001, remembers back to 2006 when the Liberty Bell was stripped from his sleeve. “When they gave us the star, it just kind of felt more like a sticker instead of a unit, it didn’t really signify what recruiting is,” he said. “Our patch, the stars and the bell actually mean something because of the history behind the patch. I’m proud to be wearing the bell again. It just makes you feel much better.” Master Sgt. Steven Darbyshire became a recruiter in 1999; he felt a loss when the bell was replaced with the star. “The bell symbolizes what we’re about - it’s that history - we built America. Recruiting command - we built the Army,” said Darbyshire. “And that Liberty Bell is a symbol of that and democracy. I think by losing that, it kind of took something away us. The star was an Army brand, the Liberty Bell is USAREC’s brand; it’s uniquely ours, and I’m proud to have it back. Nineteen thousand patches have been mailed out to all the brigades, battalions, companies and stations. All are scheduled to arrive by March 7.